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Investigation on the formation of microplastics from compostable plastic bags during the rotting process in field tests
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Researchers investigated whether compostable pre-collection plastic bags form microplastics during rotting under real-world field conditions, which often differ substantially from the controlled laboratory settings used in certification procedures like EN 13432. The study found that field composting conditions produced microplastic fragments, raising questions about the environmental claims of certified compostable plastics.
Abstract Compostable pre-collection plastic bags can foster the separate collection of biowaste from households and reduce pollution of conventional plastics. Test conditions proposed in certification procedures (e.g., EN 13432) used to show the compostability of such materials (and products) are made under controlled and optimal laboratory conditions and extended test periods that are rarely achieved in the composting practice. Thus, it is possible that some ‘compostable’ plastic products may not be degraded satisfactorily in technical composting plants under realistic conditions, which could leave microplastic fragments in composts. Therefore, in this study, the compostability of a certified compostable plastic bag was investigated under practical conditions in two state-of-art composting plants in Austria. Expected future plastic bag quantities (resulting in 0.95–1.19 kg biowaste per pre-collection-bag) were added to test windrows and were investigated during 12 weeks for fragment sizes > 0.2 mm. The results show that the investigated materials degraded within the first four weeks and left only tiny amounts of plastic materials in a size range 0.63–0.2 mm.
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Researchers found that ultra-thin compostable plastic bag films used for food waste collection degrade poorly in agricultural soil, with industrial compost containing undeteriorated fragments that persist after field application and raise concerns about compostable plastics as a source of soil microplastic contamination.
Biodegradable plastics in the air and soil environment: Low degradation rate and high microplastics formation
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Researchers compared the degradation rates of various biodegradable plastic types in natural air and soil environments over time, finding that most degraded slowly under ambient conditions and generated substantial microplastic fragments, with non-certified biodegradable plastics showing essentially no degradation.
What happens to biodegradable plastics in soil and compost? : development and comparison of methods
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This thesis investigated the degradation behavior of biodegradable plastics in compost and soil environments, developing and comparing analytical methods for tracking breakdown rates and products. Researchers found that current composting conditions frequently result in incomplete biodegradable plastic degradation before the compost is applied to agricultural soils. The study provides a methodological foundation for standardizing biodegradable plastic degradation assessment, with implications for whether so-called compostable plastics actually prevent microplastic accumulation in soils.
Slow degradation of compostable plastic carrier bags in a stream and its riparian area
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Researchers placed compostable plastic carrier bags in a stream and its riparian zone and monitored their degradation over time, finding they broke down far more slowly in this natural environment than under industrial composting conditions. The results suggest that 'compostable' labeling on plastics can be misleading if those products end up in natural water systems.
Appraising co-composting efficiency of biodegradable plastic bags and food wastes: Assessment microplastics morphology, greenhouse gas emissions, and changes in microbial community
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Researchers tested composting biodegradable plastic bags with food waste and found that while the bags broke down faster than regular plastic, the process still produced microplastic fragments and affected greenhouse gas emissions. The type of additives in the biodegradable bags influenced both the composting process and the microbial communities involved. This study raises important questions about whether "biodegradable" plastics truly solve the microplastic problem or simply create smaller plastic particles during decomposition.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.